Experience the Northern Lights onboard Icelandair

Featured destinations: Europe

Published 28 November 2016

Lauren Burvill

Ever dreamed of seeing the elusive Northern Lights? You’re not alone. The desire to see the dazzling natural display is so strong that Iceland Air has decided to guarantee its customers see the Aurora Borealis by recreating it on their new aircraft.

Named Hekla Aurora, the themed plane is a part of Icelandair’s Transatlantic fleet, and was launched in Reykjavik last week as a prelude to the city’s annual Winter Lights Festival.

Bringing a man-made version of the Northern Lights to the sky , the 747 aircraft features an incredible painting of the Aurora Borealis; a piece of work that actually originated from a small painting and was impressively reproduced by a team of airbrush artists (watch the video below).

Onboard, Hekla Aurora has also brought the natural phenomenon inside the plane with a one of a kind, mood LED lighting system illuminating the cabin, designed to recreate the Northern Lights.

The colourful plane has been created as part of Icelandair’s #MyStopover campaign, designed to encourage people to enjoy a stopover in Iceland.

"Hekla Aurora provides an authentic Aurora Borealis experience to all those who fly on her. The on-board light show provides the perfect beginning to any transatlantic flight by showcasing the natural beauty of Iceland's famous Northern Lights," comments Birta Líf Kristinsdóttir, a renowned Icelandic meteorologist and former Icelandair pilot, who was on the aircraft’s maiden flight.

From 25 March 2015, Icelandair will fly out of Heathrow's newly developed Terminal 2, The Queen's Terminal.

Want to see the Northern Lights on your next round the world flight? Talk to our experts about stopping over in Iceland onboard Hekla Aurora.